Now you can Buy Only Made-in-India ACs as Govt Bans Imports

New Delhi: Now onwards you can only buy air conditioners (AC) that are manufactured in India as the Centre has banned AC imports in its latest bid to boost domestic production of the item. The government wants to restrict import of “non-essential” goods in order to give a boost to domestic manufacturing and reduce dependence on imports.

According to a report in the Times of India, A notification issued by the directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) moved split and “other” ACs with refrigerants into the “prohibited” category from the “free” list. They join the list of products such as tyres, TV sets and agarbattis, where import restrictions have been imposed.

While this means that an importer can’t fill refrigerant or gas outside and bring into the country, in reality it translates into a ban.

It may be noted that ACs have been identified as potential items for focus on domestic manufacturing as components are imported in large quantities. The domestic market for ACs is said to be worth $5-6 billion with a large chunk of ACs being imported into the country. Separately, depending on the segment, 85-100% of the components, where the market is estimated to be around $2 billion, are imported.

According to an earlier report by the publication, import restrictions and support to domestic industry were part of the plan to turn India into a hub for manufacturing.

Source: Tnn